(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to full length cDNA clones derived from Gramineae, particularly from barley and wheat, and to transgenic plants preferably plants transformed with barley cDNA expressing barley lectin. In particular the present invention relates to transgenic plants which produce an active lectin and store it in leaves and other parts of the plant in amounts which are sufficient to provide insecticidal properties.
(2) Prior Art
It is known that lectins have insecticidal properties. The Gramineae lectins are known to be effective against the cowpea weevil (Murdick et al Phytochemistry 1989). The problem has been to provide these lectins in the leaves and other parts of higher plants for the insects to feed upon. Until the present invention this has not been accomplished, due to the fact that different segments of the DNA of Gramineae which encode the full length of cDNA clones were not available.